Not enough space to transfer files to new Mac mini using Migration Assistant

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Not enough space to transfer files to new Mac mini using Migration Assistant

I just upgraded my 2017 iMac to a new M4 Pro Mini, and attempted to transfer the data from the old computer using Migration Assistant. It's telling me there isn't enough space, even though I am using less than half of the drive capacity on the old iMac.

The old iMac has a 1TB fusion drive with 630 GB available.

The new Mac Mini has a 1TB SSD so I was expecting there would be plenty of space to transfer into.

The Migration Assistant is showing some of the following file sizes

Applications 105 GB

Pictures 718 GB

Music 93 GB

Movies 280 GB

Clearly these add up to more than 1TB (and there are others I didn't list) so how are they presently fitting on a 1TB drive, with 630GB still available?

How will I be able to transfer the files to my new computer?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Mac mini, macOS 15.2

Posted on May 17, 2025 10:32 AM

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Answer 1

den.thed

Level 10

88,810 points

May 17, 2025 10:49 AM in response to rbatey

Plug your old iMac's Time Machine backup drive into the new Mac mini using a USB-C to USB-A adapter if necessary and try migrating from it.

If that doesn't work, try leaving something like the Movies behind. Then move the Movies from the old iMac to an external drive and access the Movies from the external drive.

Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

88,810 points

May 17, 2025 11:31 AM in response to rbatey

rbatey wrote:

Thank you I hadn't thought of that! My old drives are USB3 I think, but I bought one of those Satechi hubs for the Mini, hopefully I can plug into that

You're welcome.

I just plugged in the drive and will run Migration Assistant. It's USB so may take a while!

Actually USB 3 (even USB 2.0) will be faster and more reliable than migrating over Wi-Fi.

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,050 points

May 17, 2025 12:01 PM in response to rbatey

IF you continue to have. problems, you may want to simply start over and erase the new Mac, re-install Mac OS from the Recovery Partition and finally run Migration Assistant with the old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk attached to the new Mac.

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Answer 4

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,050 points

May 17, 2025 11:04 AM in response to rbatey

Please only migrate using the old Mac's Time Machine External Hard Disk. This is the fastest and most reliable method. Below is a link to detailed instructions:

Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant

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Answer 5

May 17, 2025 11:23 AM in response to rbatey

It is always safer to transfer just the files you need manually. Migration takes over a large amount of garbage that has been cluttering up your old system.

If you must transfer everything can't you simply copy the User folder to your new Mac together with the applications?

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Answer 6

rbatey Author

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May 17, 2025 12:53 PM in response to Ian R. Brown

Thanks I tried moving the individual folders I need manually but they are way too large to fit on the new drive, even though the drives are the same size. As some others suggested, I’m going to try Migration Assistant from the Time Machine backup instead.

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Answer 7

May 18, 2025 04:29 AM in response to rbatey

You show that Migration Assistant has 718GB in pictures. Are your pictures in Photos app and do you have keep in iCloud enabled? If so, this may be part of the issue. Also, if not using the Photos app, are the pictures stored in some other cloud service? This may be part of the issue.

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Answer 8

rbatey Author

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May 18, 2025 12:27 PM in response to woodmeister50

The pictures are not in Photos app, they are cataloged in Lightroom Classic. I'm a photographer and most of my work pictures are stored on external drives. The files in the Pictures folder are Lightroom catalogs (about 180gb) and personal photos including from iPhones etc. some of which I think are in iCloud. iCloud storage says I am using 94.2 out of 200gb

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Answer 9

rbatey Author

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10 points

May 18, 2025 12:46 PM in response to Ian R. Brown

Thanks, rather than transfer the entire Users folder I decided to transfer manually only what I really needed from the Pictures folder and Applications. Looks like Music and Movies will need to go on an external drive!

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Answer 10

rbatey Author

Level 1

10 points

May 17, 2025 11:10 AM in response to den.thed

Thank you I hadn't thought of that! My old drives are USB3 I think, but I bought one of those Satechi hubs for the Mini, hopefully I can plug into that

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Answer 11

rbatey Author

Level 1

10 points

May 17, 2025 11:16 AM in response to rkaufmann87

Thanks! Wish I had read that first! I already ran Setup Assistant over wifi, so now I just plugged in the drive and will run Migration Assistant. It's USB so may take a while!

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Not enough space to transfer files to new Mac mini using Migration Assistant

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